Draft attachment for vehicle-tongues



(No Model.)

S; E. HARPER. DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE TONGUES. No. 430,945. Patented June 24, 1890.

qwHi naooao 8141mm oz UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

SAMUEL E. HARPER, OF EAST MEREDITH, NE? YORK.

DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR VEHlCLE-TONGUES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 430,945, dated June 24, 1890.

Application filed March 6, 1890. Serial No. 342,882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. HARPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Meredith, in the county of Delaware and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Tongues, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in attachments for tongues.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable device, adapted to be secured to a tongue and a doubletree to draw the latter rearwardly and maintain the traces continually taut and to prevent jars to the occupant of a vehicle.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tongue and doubletree provided with a device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail Views of the guide and sliding plates.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a vehicle-tongue, which is provided with a vertical longitudinal slot 2, in which slides a bolt 3 that pivots a doubletree 4 to the tongue, and the latter is provided in the rear of the doubletree with a block 5, to which is connected by means of a clip-plate 6 a spring 7, that has its other end similarly secured to the doubletrce t by a clip-plate 8, and the said spring is adapted to draw the doubletree rearwardly and maintain the traces continually taut and prevent the same becoming accidentallyunfastened, as is the case with the ordinary construction of whiffletrees when the vehicle is passing down a hill, or is being backed. The spring also prevents jars to the occupants of a vehicle during passage over rough surfaces, and it is designed to be constructed either heavy or light, accordingly as it is to be used upon light vehicles or upon heavy wagons. The

shaped plate 11, that has its front end pivoted to the doubletree and its rear end. provided with an integral transverse bar that is adapted to engage the flanges 10 and prevent the sliding bar being entirely withdrawn from the guide-plate.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings the construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will readily be understood.

What I claim is- 1. The combination of the tongue, provided with the longitudinal slot 2, and having a block 5 secured to its upper face and arranged back of the slot, the doubletree pivoted in the slot, the spiral spring having its front end secured to the whifiietree and its rear end secured to the block, the guide-plate secured to the block, and the sliding plate connected to the doubletree and being engaged by the guide, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the tongue provided with, a longitudinal slot and having the block 5 secured to its upper face, the doubletree pivoted in the slot, the spring secured to the block and the doubletree and adapted to draw the latter rearwardly, the guide-plate secured to the upper face of the block and extending in front of the same, and being provided with flanges forming a way, and the T-shaped sliding plate pivoted to the whifiletree and arranged in the way formed by the said flanges, and provided at its rear end with an integral transverse bar, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL E. HARPER.

Witnesses:

J ONAS M. PRESTON, STEPHEN F. ADEE. 

